1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refuelling container for fuelcell, such as a direct methanol type fuelcell, using a system in which liquid fuel such as alcohols is directly supplied to cause an electrochemical reaction without using a reformer, the container being used to inject fuel from the outside to refuel in a fuel receiving part of the cell body side in which small fuel remains. The present invention also relates to a method for refuelling and a holder for refuelling container.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an attention has been focused on a direct methanol type fuelcell (DMFC) in which fuel methanol is supplied directly to an anode (fuel electrode) to cause an electrochemical reaction without using a reformer producing protons, as a fuelcell for portable devices because this fuelcell is suitable for miniaturization of devices. Also, various fuel supply means in these DMFCs have been proposed.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) No. 2004-319388, there are descriptions concerning a fuelcell for portable devices which is provided with a fuel container, at least a part of which is constituted of a flexible member and to which fuel is supplied by a pump.
Also, JP-A No. 2005-71713 describes a liquid type fuelcell in which a fuel-receiving container is constituted of a fuel tank disposed in a casing and a fuel cartridge fitted to the fitting part of the fuel tank in a dismountable manner wherein the fuel cartridge is made to have a double structure constituted of an outside container composed of a hard case and a highly shrinkable inside container received in the outside container and liquid fuel is filled in the inside container.
Also, JP-A No. 2005-63726 describes that methanol is injected into the fuel receiving part of a fuelcell by squeezing a refueling container which is integrated by molding a flexible resin and in which methanol is sealed, by human hands.